By Thursday, however, the clouds had cleared away. The Hillmen
had been defeated in the Khyber by a force sent from Jumrood, General Maude had reached Peshawur, and communi- cation between that city and Dhakka was again safe. Lord Lytton, moreover, forwarded " authentic " news of the evacuation of Jellalabad, and statements that no troops had been found in the Khoord Khyber Pass, the dangerous defile be- tween Dhakka and the city. News also was received just in time for the opening of Parliament of a victory achieved by General Roberts. He bad discovered a road which turned the Peiwar Crest, and on Sunday pushed the 72nd Highlanders, the 5th Ghoorkaa, and the 25th Native Infantry along it. After a three hours' march, they drove in the Afghans on their centre, the Crest, and General Roberts ordered a front attack. This did not succeed, the Afghans fighting with desperate reso- lution, and bringing the assailing force to a stand-still. General Roberts, however, led a second turning movement against a point in the rear of the enemy, and the Afghans, in a panic, abandoned their position. Our loss was only two officers killed, two officers wounded, and eighty men killed and wounded ; while the Afghans lost eighteen guns, all their stores, and it is believed a great number of men. The victory was most complete, and General Roberts, on the 5th inst., was to attempt to clear the Shaturgardan, the narrow gorge, 13,000 feet high, the possession of which is the possession of the Passes between Koorum and Cabul.
